Silence
by Draqonelle
Summary: Marron gets courage and learns many lessons... Ain't love a kick in the head? Yaoi pairing with a liberal splash of lime.


Silence

By Draqonelle

Milphy put his hand on the window.  Pressing him fingerprints in the glass.  He was wearing Gateau's sheets on his body.  Gateau dozed.  He didn't have the stamina of a desperate 700 year old in an 18-year-old body.  He had been sleeping for a while.  Milphy felt Gateau's warm hand on the small of his back.

They dozed in complete rest, complete rich quiet until Gateau roused. 

"So did I past the test?" Gateau said.

"You were nice. You're very gentle…" Milphy said softly, "It's good to be with someone so generous and inexperienced."

Gateau didn't look at him.  Milphy played trailing the raindrops as Gateau sat stunned and tired at the events.  The drops of rain that met and trailed and merged in a hundred ways.  No drop of rain is alone.  No one is.  The way they all connected eventually and dripped out the window.

"It's been raining for a long time."

"Marron-chan will get a cold." Gateau said.

"Unless he holes up somewhere." Milphy said

"I feel like he can never come back."

Milphy rested his head against him. Both prone on the bed of their passion.

Gateau curled his body in crossing his arms across his body, probably so Milphy's head could not touch his chest.  He felt unworthy of comfort now.  How could he think such things when he boy's heart was as troubled as any.  The darkness in his life and heart was nearly unbearable. And his pursuit of the Younger black haired Glace had finally tipped his mind.  His pain was so deep. Milphy had to touch him.  The back wrenched in tears, the head bowing towards the ground in frustration.  And the touching always changed it.  The touching lead to a wrong kiss, leading to a desperate one, to touching to throbbing- what would he expect?  He was seven hundred years, and he knew what his body would do. It was what any young healthy body would do.  Milphy was always surprised for some reason.

Now there were no guards as they both lie on the bed.  Gateau lay vulnerable to him.  His eyes like big open blank patches of sky.  Thinking about the boy who had his heart. Marron Glace.

I loved you once in silence  
And mis'ry was all I knew.

Milphy couldn't let the sorrow stick in the air thick between them.  Gateau's eyes were so blank so cold.  He couldn't live with it.  Milphy had to do something.  It was just his way.

"Gateau, are you alright?"

"Fine." Gateau said, "I'm tired."

"No you're not." Milphy said.

"I'm just tired."

"Gateau let me comfort you."  Milphy touched his hair "We've let our passions take us this far."

"It's so fast."  

"Let me ease your heart.  You cannot live in sorrow." Milphy pet him on his great golden head.  It was strange how different an animal could look like when you were up close.  Something so big could seem so soft.  There was a watery softness in his eyes, some place that would always be open.

Gateau didn't answer.

"Gateau. There is more to life then love. If it doesn't' happen… It doesn't-"

His eyes were swimming in tears.  "I want to go wash."

Gateau got up and walked to the adjoining bathroom.

Milphy hit his head against his hand.

_You made a mess out of this, haven't you?_ Milphy said to himself.  Gateau was shattered by his guilt as well as loneliness.  The guilt he must have.

Marron had left in the night right into the rain.  Marron had slammed the door and probably gave himself a cold with all his proud folly.  He might be built like a ballerina, but his pig headed pride was definitely like a Glace.  He didn't walk like Onion.  Everyone marveled at how much he looked like his mother.  He might have her jaw and haunting eyes and pale complexion, but Milphy didn't see his mother in his facial expressions, his frown, that furrowed brow.  The boy would have wrinkles at 25.

No Milphy remembered young Gleis son, the first son of the family, the son of Gleis, their great ancestor.  Those proud hard eyes piercing the night and his ragged hair dark.  Gleisson had been very lovely, being his origins were magical.  Not exactly carved out of ivory, like Marron's. Gleisson seemed carved out of gypsum, more olive skinned, and his eyes were white blue.  His features were there right on top of Apricot's.  The hard wrinkled brow and the pointed childish chin. Too damn good looking to be a boy.  He made little faces like him, cute but deadly angry ones. Of course Gleisson had make Carrot look like a prince when it came to matters of pediastric affections.   The guy was a raging homophobe. He was very stubborn and very beautiful and then very lonely.

Marron could one day be like his mother, but now he was a stubborn boy. Who'd rather walk into the rain then face the fact he could be wrong.  He would rather throw a love like Gateau's away than speak its name.

He was there walking in the wind, trying not to hear love calling him. Milphy sent a prayer into the universe, _Marron you pig headed shrew, get back here and claim him._  _His heart would be yours forever.  All the noise in the world, all the wind and cold won't let go of you. _Milphy sighed and broke raindrops on his fingertips.__

Trying so to keep my love from showing,  
All the while not knowing you loved me too.

Marron waited standing.  He could stand silent.  He would never know that he was there.  He always surprised Gateau because he tread as silent as the Negora ninja he had trained with, even in boots.  Of course his feet were bare tonight.  He had shed his white robe, heavy with rain.  He could wait till Gateau came out for breakfast.

Maybe he should maybe that would make him the strong one again.  He had been so rude over such a triviality.  It had began so stupid, but he couldn't stop. He could not deal with the stress.  His body told him to run.  If he could have stayed, now too much had been said.

He thought back.

Gateau getting food out of this small cabin's cupboards.  He was deep inside while Marron sat reading.

"How could you be so rude to Lady Chipu?"

"You didn't see the triangle. She's a sorceress.  She was born one.  And no sorcerer can ever change."

"Oh come on."

"What?  Don't make that little I can hear it."

"You've got to stop making so many enemies Gateau."

"I only piss off on Sorcerers.  What do you care?"

"But Lady Chipu."

"She's a Sorcerer."

"It's not our business to judge souls.  Judgment is for God."

Then Gateau walked into the room.  He sat across from Marron he put his elbows on the table.

"Well what do we do Marron?"

Marron looked at him

"What are we supposed to do?  Every week or so we come to a town, blow it down beat up evil magic and then we kill someone. A sorcerer.  If they aren't to blame, then what are we doing?"

The mage looked at him tightly "We're agents of justice.  We are the only ones doing what is right?  Fighting for it."

"Since when is fighting right?  You make me sick."  He threw the book on the floor.  "I think someone who read as much as you would have a clue in your head what we are."  Gateau kicked it, in an act displaced violence.

Marron looked up.  Normally a look like that in his eye would result in someone getting punched.  But even in his rage Gateau would not hit him.  Why was he so angry? What did he do to Gateau?  What had he said?  He asked the question in his eyes, kneeling there, trying to pick up his book.  What is it Gateau?

"We kill people.  We kill humans who beg for their lives whether they deserve them or not.  That makes us sinners."

"We must.  We are doing what's right."  Marron said. Marron picked up the pages that snapped when the being had cracked.  He looked down at his hands neatly picking up the mess.

"My father would spit on me if he knew I was in the Sorcerer Hunters."  Gateau said, "All you cared about was yourselves:  Your laws, your own rules. You didn't care about the lives of Parsoners.  They were just there.  He told me you all were vengeful and cruel."

Gateau stood above him.

"Because anyone who can kill and still think they are good, is either stupid or cold-hearted."

Marron felt his fingers tingle.  My God.  Just one thing he could say. How could any body just keep those things in his heart?  Gateau was always mouthing off but this.  When had he come up with this? Could he really think so low of him?  Gateau thought he was a ruthless murderer?

"I just-"

"It's easy for you, I guess.  You have so much practice hiding your heart.  You don't need it."

Marron hands fell down.  The mess returned. How could he… How could he-?

"Shut up Gateau."

It alerted sleepers in the rooms.

"Have you given so much of yourself to this life that you can't love?  That you can't be warmed by anything."

Marron looked up, he couldn't control himself anymore.  He was going to cry.  He was going to fall apart right there. "You're wrong, Gateau.  You're wrong."

"Well then can't you have the courage to hate me?" Gateau paced around him looking down. "Why can't you tell me to leave you alone?  Just say 'Get Lost'"

 Gateau leaned down.  He got to his knees "Where is my friend?  The one I loved.  There was this sweet boy who always gave me food from his lunch. The boy who was frightened sometimes.  The one who blushed when I told him he was beautiful."

Marron blinked and breathed.

"Yes.  He let me tell him he was beautiful.  He wasn't strong maybe but he was.  And I love him so much. Where is he?"

Marron shook his head. Can't he understand?  We can't be sentimental like that.  We are men.  We are warriors.  We can't leave ourselves open like that. Why are you wasting tears on the wretched and the evil? Why are you making me cry?  Why are reminding me what I once was?  

"We are adults."

"You didn't grow.  You shriveled up."

Marron balled his fist.

"Would you even react if I threw you on the ground and tried to kiss you? If you're so damn grown up."

"It always comes to that." Marron said, "We can't do that…"

"I think sometimes your heart is gone.  That you'll always run away, like a little lizard whenever you need it.  You wouldn't know how to love."

"I don't-" Marron stood up cold.

"Cause you don't need or something.  You don't feel like a person does.  I need love.  I need warmth. I need to forget. I need to have something else in my life…"

Marron grabbed the door. Gateau grasped his face, "When are you going to stop running away when you have to love?  Or are you nothing but a killer?"

"I have to go.  I can't-"

"Do you love Marron?"

Marron had run through the rain just to drown the image of his eyes away.  

Yes, loved me in lonesome silence;  
Your heart filled with dark despair.  
Thinking love would flame in you forever,  
And I'd never, never know the flame was there.  
  


Marron stood at the door, his skin pale with cold.  It felt like his skin was fire.  The coldness of the rain had caused his blood to burn under his skin. Perhaps he had a cold.  Perhaps his head was funny.

Why did he still want to be strong?  He had tried to convince himself what strength was for so long.  That he was strong.  But how strong could he be if he skittered at the appearance of him.

Lizards had red blood pumped by a heart.  They were different.  There blood was cool and their manners slow, but they had the same blood.

Lizards needed the sun more than anyone.  For without it they freeze.  Marron was not a hopeful or happy person.  He did not carry light inside of him, not like Gateau would.  Was he just a cold-blooded killer?  Did he even love?  

He said he loved his brother. But how could he love his brother and be so angry with him too? They were all so different.  How could he go through so much without having it move his heart?

Marron was still standing before Gateau's door

Why did he need to be strong?  Why didn't he just go in there?  Why didn't he let Gateau warm him?  Why didn't he turn the darkness in his heart and guilt into something they could share?  He could share it.  He could.  Or he could learn.  He'd go in there and hold him, and kiss him and tell him the lovers' things.  He'd do what lovers do.  He'd lose himself and grow.  Marron would pounce on him.  He'd make the first move.  He opened the door.

Then one day we cast away our secret longing;  
the raging tide we held inside would hold no more.  
  


The second his fingers touched the door his heart sputtered. Maybe he should just apologize.  He trembled.  Since when did this become so frightening?  It was… 

_The silence at last was broken!  
We flung wide our prison door._

"Gateau I came to apologize.  Please let me come in. I think I…"

Marron heard nothing.  He closed his eyes and fumbled for the doorknob of the unlocked door.  My gods.  How could he be passionate with anyone?  He couldn't even open the door.  He'd be no great lover.  But he would try, he would have too or his heart would freeze and pop into shards.  Oh dear.  It was… wonderful and terrible.  He felt his steps grow bolder and he actually smiled.

_Ev'ry joyous word of love was spoken._

Marron entered the room "Gateau!  I'm here."

And Milphy was nude on the bed.

"Marron." Milphy yelped.

"Gomen ne." Marron turned away.

Milphy pulled his bedclothes over him.  He thought he heard a voice.

"I'm so so so sorry. I'm sorry." Marron was turning pink all the way up to his ears.  He wasn't used to seeing the male naked body.  Milphy smiled, it was adorable.  He sat up appropriately draped.  He couldn't really doubt Marron's true nature, now.  Of course he still could vehemently.  Mortals were so clueless. One didn't fall apart like that at the sight of a naked body unless it was attractive in some way.  Marron wouldn't admit it.

"I thought it was… Gateau doesn't shut his door to me I… He said it's always open."

"That's generous." Milphy said.

Marron was trembling, "I think he does it to tease me.  One day I'll pop in here. He just hopes I'll find him naked or posing in front of the mirror."

Marron strained not to turn his head towards Milphy.  _Oh silly Marron you are curious.  You can't hide what you are from me.  I don't know why you insist on hiding your eyes, or your heart.  You like Gateau.  He's just silly enough to make you mad with passion. If you could only look at me, maybe you could tell him… then this business would be solved._

"Milphy is this your room? Gateau said he would be sleeping in here." Marron looked around.

Milphy laughed nervously and clutched his head "Hahaha.  Why of course." 

Marron smiled uncomfortably.  Milphy was so odd "I didn't know you were staying… Are you sure this is your room?"

"Yes. It is certainly not Gateau's." Milphy shouted.

He slammed the door to the bathroom with his foot.

"Ouch." A voice said, "My nose."

Milphy slumped.

Marron froze, "Gateau."

"Marron?"

Gateau came out.  He was wet and stunned like he had been crying or something all night.  His eyes were so heavy. Not bright at all.

"You never kept your door shut to me." Marron said.

Gateau moved towards him.

"I-" The words hung in the air.

"Marron.  Don't- Marron please."

Marron walked away, he wasn't crying. No he wasn't crying.

And now there's twice as much grief,   
Twice the strain for us;  
Twice the despair,  
Twice the pain for us  
As we had known before.

"Marron, please don't be sad. No don't… It's not." Gateau was stumbling over himself.  Holding the towel on his body.

"I'm not sad.  I'm not angry.  If you want to be alone, then that is your business.  We all need our privacy."  Marron couldn't talk straight.  He was beginning to pant and repeat himself. He wasn't saying anything and he had to go before it would happen. Before he would die.  The black stab in the heart would kill him right there.  They were about to strike him down.  And for nothing.

"I'm going to go away now and leave you alone."  Jealousy "I don't mean to bust in. I was sorry…" loneliness "what I said to you.  But I see you're much too busy." betrayal. "So I will leave you alone. And I'll go.  So I'm going to leave…" He forgot which way the door was.

"Marron, you can't…" Gateau said trying to block him off.  Marron was loping like a caged deer trying to force his way out.  His eyes were shut so tight.  He lurched towards the wall trying to get to the door.

"Marron.  I didn't mean it.  It just happened."

Something snapped in Marron's head.  He stood straight up.  What did he say? Out of all the things he could have said Gateau said that.  Milphy became his lover that night while he had wandered in the cold rain trying to work up the fire in his belly.  While Marron had tried to be brave and strong, it all had fallen apart. He tried to be everything he should have been.  He had come to be with Gateau.  But instead he did all that with Milphy.  He let Milphy come in here and be his lover.  To be his lover.  That was everything.  He opened his bed to someone else.  And he didn't mean it.  Did he just want to fuck Milphy?  Did he just want to fuck him?  Marron's mind was shattered.  His heart was bleeding poison in his body.  He wanted to die. 

"Shut up Gateau." Marron shrieked.

"Marron it just happened.  I don't know when-"

"It didn't just happen." Marron hissed, "You let him be your lover.  You slept together.  I was-"

Gateau held his shoulder.

"I'll never love again." Marron said.

*** 

            "Oh Darling.  Look what I made you."

            Carrot cut into the pancake with his knife.

            "What did you do now?"

            She held up a nudie girl pancake with huge breasts, "My Self portrait.  They even have chocolate chips."

            Carrot pushed it away, "You are just weird."

            Tira ate the Chocora pancake.  It looked tempting.

            Marron opened the door to Gateau's room and shut it.

            "Marron-chan.  It's time for…."

            Marron's eyes were leaking but his chin was strong. Marron floated by, with a bright mad glow in his eyes.  He didn't even seem to notice them.

Chocora and Carrot watched him till he walked in the hall.

"Marron-chan." Tira said softly into her pancakes.

They'd heard some weird fight.  Marron shouted the door slammed.  But they'd never know more than that.  Marron would not share something like that with anyone.  Maybe his brother, but no one else ever seemed to have a clue. Tira wanted to cry.

"Oh dear.  He had his heart broken." Chocora frowned "Nothing as sad as a love that will not last."  She said.  She turned to Carrot "Not like ours."

"Cut it out." Carrot said.

"We should go…" Tira stood up.

"No.  You know Marron.  He'll get all mad because you girls saw him cry." Carrot whispered.

Chocora said at normal volume.  "I'll go find out who made him cry.  I'll bet Gateau dishonored his body or something.  I could see it now.  How Tragic!"

"Nee-chan."  Tira said exasperated scolding her.  She whispered.  "Marron would tear him into little bits, if he so much as touched him.  Gateau would never do that with Marron. Marron would never-" 

At this there was a little whimpering noise and Marron ran.  He slammed the door.  

"Oh poo you are naieve sister dear.  If he did, I'm going to teach Gateau a lesson." Chocora stabbed the pancakes through the plate, and she managed to smash it.  Her strength was frightening.  She swore.  She picked up the cracked plate and tossed it away "I'm not giving any pancakes to that cad Gateau."

"Nee-chan.  Stop breaking the plates."

Carrot stood up.

"Just pretend you didn't see that."

Carrot walked into the room.

"Oi ototo.  You crying?"

"Go away." Marron said.

"Oh what's wrong?" Carrot said.

"No." Marron answered a question he didn't even ask.

"You aren't going to tell me?"

"No." Marron buried his head, under the pillow

"Okay." Carrot said, "If you want to cry."

"I'm not crying.  I need to think. I need to be alone." Marron cried, slobbering tears in his voice.

"Fine."

Carrot had a twinge that just once he could sit down and talk with his brother.  He didn't know a lot of stuff.  And he'd probably get wierded out or confused or bored if Marron did talk to him.  He was a smart guy.  Much too smart and he took everything seriously.  Not like Carrot.  He never took life to seriously; you never get out of it alive. Marron was curled up he was so sad. He was lousy at this.  But Marron needed someone.

"Carrot, nothing is wrong.  You don't need to comfort me." Marron said coldly.

"Hello Marron." Carrot shouted in his ear and rubbed his brother's nose. "Marron you are crying." Carrot said, touching the tear and rubbing it in his face, "I'm not stupid, very stupid, I mean.  We're going to talk."

"I'm crying because of stress." Marron said crisply, "It isn't for any good reason."

"There isn't a good reason to be sad." Carrot said, "They all suck." Carrot said, "If your sad you're just going to have to feel sad, until you snap out of it."

"Well why do I have to cry then. If it's so easy." Marron said.

"It's not easy. It's true." Carrot said.

Marron wiped his eyes, "Nii-san.  Gateau isn't going to be bothering me anymore."

"OK." Carrot said. Carrot lay on the bed. "You didn't kill him or chop of his winky or anything?"

"He just won't…" Marron would not joke.

"Well then what?" Carrot flipped over and leaned on his elbows hoping to listen.

Marron looked at his brother.  Then collapsed into tears in his chest. The look was enough.  It said everything.  I was dumped.  I was replaced.  I feel worthless.

"Oh Gee." Carrot immediately got the image in his head.

Carrot repeated Marron's little phrase in his head, "Sometimes you can only see when something is far away."  Carrot pet his soft dark head and let him cry.  Marron's hair was so soft.  In the entire world there was not one other human being Marron would cry in front of.  He would have ripped out his eyes first had they offended him thus.  He was a cold efficient warrior, committed to his mission, committed to his duty.  Men didn't cry. Carrot knew it was a bad thing to think when Marron was so broken up, but when Marron could cry in front of him like this, it always proved that he loved him.  No matter what Marron could do next, he could always show his real self to his brother.

"Nii-san…" Marron whimpered.

"Uh." Carrot said, "Did Gateau um… did he get with someone new?"

"Yes." Marron said.  He sat up  "He didn't really like me that much.  We fought last night and when I was gone he-"

"While you were out in the rain?" Carrot looked stunned,  "That guy moves fast."

"Yes.  He doesn't really like me.  I knew it.  I just-"

Carrot held him.  "Sounds like you must have made him mad, if he'd just go sleep with some random ho to get back at you." Carrot said.

"He's not doing it to get back at me."

"How then?"

'Milphy…" Marron said.

"What that pervert do to you?"  It was enough to rile Carrot.  Carrot didn't like to dwell on the mournful and complex aspects of a broken first love.  He just wanted to make things right and bother a transvestite he didn't really like that much.  Milphy the same nut job who always smacked him on the ass and let Chocora beat him up.  He really didn't like Milphy.

"That Pervert."  Carrot said.  He smacked his fist "That Milphy Yuy.  What a weirdo hentai! Hmmm.  He made you cry." Carrot growled, "I am going to beat his sorry ass in."

"Well…  I shouldn't tell you this.  Why do you want to know?"

Carrot's vision of pummeling the crap out of the Haz Knight was interrupted.  He might as well get it out of the way.

"Look Marron you aren't a normal brother.  When I was a kid I was almost embarrassed my brother was a weirdo my brother was a… that way. But now I'm a man. Not that I well…" Carrot was turning redder and redder slipping into more broken thought "… I mean you're my brother and these girls… and girls and not that… well it's right." Carrot was raking through his messing hair "I'm staying stupid shit… I can't-"

Carrot plunked down. He took a deep breath.

"I love you Marron?" Carrot looked at him, questioning confused.

Marron straightened Carrot's hair.

"I understand Carrot." Marron smiled.

"Good cause I don't got a clue what's going on." Carrot sighed, "You always were the smart one."

Marron was touched by Carrot's acceptance.  He had been so afraid.  But deep down, his brother had the greatest heart.  He understood love.  He understood Marron's heart.  Carrot knew him.  He could figure out everything that was worth knowing.  He might not know everything or much… or anything, but Nii-san's heart was so good.  He was always so jealous of the way Carrot loved.  It was easy for him to figure everything about a person, from their eyes, from listening.  Marron would always falter at those skills.  Carrot was never lonely, never complex, and never ambivalent.  Carrot was just so remarkable.  It had taken some time to get used to it.  How much they had changed since their childhood.  Carrot might not be the normal big brother, but he was wonderful person, a person Marron would always look up to… sometimes. Carrot knew things.  He could read people. The boy everyone assumed was an horny idiot knew Gateau would wound him like this.  He had Gateau pegged from the start.  And now he was right.

"I was wise not to like him, if he could be so fickle.  But I am glad that…" Marron would find some reason to be glad, one day.

"But you do.  You were just hiding it." Carrot said,  "I don't know why.  He's a big ball of crap."

Marron startled at the description

"But if Milphy took him from ya…" Carrot clenched his fist in rage  "Oooh. I bet he just skanked in there like he always does."

"Milphy is very beautiful and passionate.  I don't think Gateau was seduced away by him.  Milphy couldn't mean it to spite me.  They just followed their passion and-"  

Carrot cut him off "I'm going to go and teach him a lesson.  Both of them."

"No." Marron shook his head.

"You still like that big monkey meathead Mocha?"

"It all worked out.  See." Marron said,  "I shouldn't cry. You always told Gateau to leave me alone. You always told Milphy to leave you alone.  Now, they have someone to be with.  They aren't alone," Marron could tell a lie so peacefully, his legs tucked in front of him.  

Carrot crossed his arms  "Well yeah.  But not that alone.  Alone alone. You know?"

Marron stared befuddled; he let out a sweet soft smile  "Nii-san."

            Carrot ruffled his hair, "You just stay here.  You'll feel better soon."

            "Don't tell Tira and Chocora I was…  I just…" Marron said.

            Carrot stood up.

"After all I owe you…"

            "Owe me."

            "I need to pay you back."

"…." Marron looked at him.

"If a lot of girls wanted to go on dates with you and and… I didn't tell you and tried to go out with them instead would you get mad."

            "What?  Girls want to date me?"

            "Well yeah like when we were in town last week four girls and in the city about 13 and before that like eighty or-"

Marron stared at him.

Carrot sweat dropped "I can't help you got all the good looks." Carrot frowned "I need all the help I can get.  And you look all cute like a princess.  I had to do something. I'm just looking for a good time. A little love and affection."

            "What did you say to them?" Marron said.

            Carrot shrunk into the ground "Gateau was your boyfriend and he was really jealous and evil."

            "And?"

            "I told everyone you were gay.  Well the words I used were 'Super gay' and a 'flamer' and 'butt pi-' well bad stuff."

            "The girls?"

            "The girls know by themselves.  They always talk about it.  It's so annoying.  They are always trying to set you up and leave you alone.  Chocora says she is going to put the smack down on Gateau tonight."

            "How did she…" Marron shook his head.

            "We aren't completely oblivious.  We may make a lot of noise, but we still care about you."

            "Oh so you told these strangers

            "A few more people.  But…"

            "Who would care?" Marron asked…

            "Zaha Torte… And that some of those Sorceresses and the Haz Knights and that one guy who used to sell the apples in the square at Collenda and …

Marron sat up.

            "You told Zaha Torte I was gay?"

"But…  It's okay.  I mean I'd rather it this way.  You know you catcha lot of pretty girls.  If you don't want to be gay anymore you don't need to worry about that."

            "I don't want pretty girls, Carrot." Marron said, "I want to be in love." 

***

Carrot waited outside the door.

"Carrot, Baby."

Instinctively at the sound of the sultry high tenor Carrot flinched and flailed his arms.

"Gah Milphy I had garlic. I didn't take a shower.  I hugged poison ivy."

"I have to speak to Marron."

"Oh no.  He's not going to talk to you." Carrot drilled his finger straight into Milphy's chest.  It hurt Carrot's finger it was so toned and muscular. "OWWW" Carrot bit his finger

"Carrot stop being tedious and let Milphy in" Milphy smiled.

"No.  He needs to be alone." Carrot smiled.  He needs to do that.  It's just how he is."

"But he's…"

Carrot glared at him

"I've offended him terribly." Milphy said.

"Then I'm definitely not letting you in there."

"It's not any of your business." Milphy said, "This is between the three of us.

"Why'd you have to steal Gateau away from him?"

"What are you saying Carrot?"

"It wasn't any of your business, and you take advantage of him.  Gosh anything with a pulse for you."

"We make our own decisions.  If Marron wasn't so freaking uptight."

"You know what, whatever Milphy.  You will just nail anything that moves to slow."

Milphy turned around.

"Why don't you get a life Milphy?  First you brother me, now you have to start bothering my brother?"  

Milphy frowned "You're right. Maybe I don't think with my brain.  But someone needed to do something.  Someone needed to help him.  Do you think it's any easier for Gateau?  Do you think he doesn't burn and cry inside?  I just wasn't… I felt so bad."

"I don't give two flips about Gateau."

"No one does.  Maybe if someone considered his feelings."

"You hurt my little brother Milphy and I can't let you get away with it."

"In love you get hurt." Milphy said.  "That's the only love worth anything.  And if you and Marron can't deal with that then…"

Carrot was so mad his face was contorted into green triangles.

"You and me are going outside!"

"Outside?" Milphy said "In the rain?"

"In the rain."

"You're calling me outside?" Milphy said.

"I'm a knight Carrot I can't just fight you."

"We are going outside."

Milphy saw the pain in Carrot's eyes.

"I'm so sorry for you and Marron. Alright…" Milphy said. Contrition and sorrow clouded his eyes.

"No one messes with my little.  I don't care if you're a Haz Knight.  I don't care if you're a freako perv." Carrot said. He put up his fists.

"Carrot I won't fight you."

"Go to-"

"Carrot."

He jumped on Milphy's back "This'll learn ya." Carrot had jumped on his back in a headlock.

"Akkkk." Milphy groaned, "Let go."

"No way."

Milphy peeled him off his body in a simple move.  He held him by his collar.

"No fair! Let me loose! Let me loose!"

"You're going to try to hurt me."

"Oh I won't try." Carrot swung his arms towards Milphy who shrugged.

"Please just stop Carrot." Milphy shook his head pitifully.

He placed Carrot on the ground.

"Did you get that out of your system?" Milphy said.

"Not until I avenge my brothers reputation."

Carrot hit Milphy in the jaw.  A considerable punch for someone so small.  Milphy grabbed his arm and twisted it in a neat gesture behind his back.

"Say uncle."

"No way." Carrot moved around "Not until you."

"You Glaces you always have to make a point. What did the gods make you out of"?

Milphy let go and swished his rain soaked bangs out of his eyes.

Carrot was so devoted to his little brother.  It made Milphy happy somewhere that such brothers could exist.  Carrot would do anything to protect his little brother.  Even from things he couldn't understand like heartache.

Milphy decided to take a dive. Carrot landed a punch in his eye.

He swooned and fainted at the punch.  In the opposite direction.  The rainy mud splattered all over the place.

"Man you win Carrot." Milphy said holding his jaw. "Man I learned my lesson."

"See Yeah." Carrot strutted a bit "I am the Man." Carrot slipped in the mud.

"Carrot Bunny.  What are you?"

Milphy picked him up.

"Oh Carrot.  How many fingers can you see?" Milphy said

Marron ran outside into the rain.

"Nii-san what are you trying to pull?" Marron shouted 

"Carrot.  You hit your head. You gotta lump on it." Milphy said.

"That's no fair you dumbie.  Sneaking up on me." Carrot muttered.

"It's none of your business" Marron said.  "What are you doing challenging a Haz Knight to a fight?  Milphy could have killed you."

"Nonsense.  How could he lose?"

"I'm not a child. You can't just threaten to beat up everybody when I have problems."

"Who's gonna do it then? Gateau?  You love Gateau more than me." Carrot's voiced slurred "You just are gonna…"

Milphy held the young mage back, "Marron, don't yell at him. His head is all muddled up.  Now look at my fingers." Milphy said, "By the Sweet Goddess. Don't tell me that you have head trauma."

"I'll tell you…"

Chocora ran out "DARLING!"

"He jumped me for…" Milphy said  "I don't know what I did to you."

"You stole my brother's man.  And…" Carrot was all fogged over.

Tira held Carrot.

"Good thing he couldn't hurt his brain." Milphy said

"What brain?" Tira said.

Chocora rolled up her sleeves.

"Don't beat up on Milphy for too long." Tira said.

"Carrot, Why don't you call off your girlfriend?" Milphy said.

"Hi Chocora." Carrot waved and plunked in Tira's arms.

Chocora balled her fist. "Enough talk himbo.  Time to suffer."

She clocked Milphy.  The Haz Knight was floored.  He pulled himself up and Chocora kicked him in the face.

Gateau looked outside.

"Milphy and Chocora are in a cat fight. Do you realize how much people would pay to see something this perverted?" Gateau said he smiled.

Marron stared out at the carnage.

Marron stared as Milphy kneed Chocora in the stomach.

"Leave me alone." Milphy backhanded her.

"I hate you, you skank." Chocora punched him in the stomach.

Carrot fell back "Oh you are sooooo hot."

Tira blushed.

"My Dearest Catherine."

"Catherine." Tira's glasses flashed.  "I'll give you Catherine."

Soon the entire seen was a gruesome and disgusting mud fight. Gateau and Marron sat on the porch watching the scene.  Watching Tira pummel Carrot for his infidelity, and Chocora and Milphy wail on each other. And the world returned to some semblance of normalcy.

Gateau and Marron sat on the rainy porch turning their heads away from each other and away from the fight.  It had gotten to easy to ignore the hateful chaotic and violent things The sisters did to Carrot.

The just stared blankly.

 "Marron..."

 "I didn't mean it. Marron"

"What?" Marron looked at the sight, "What didn't you mean Gateau?  That you wanted him, or that you wanted me…  That you hurt me or you didn't tell me? What didn't you mean?

"I-" Gateau stammered then he shrugged.  His blue gaze returned to the catfight. "Stuff. Just stuff. "

"…" Marron grunted. 

_And after all had been said,   
Here we are, my love,  
Silent once more,_

And when Gateau looked away, Marron looked at Gateau's face, because it was the face of the man he loved still.

"…." 

_And not far, my love,  
From where we were before._

I loved you once in Silence is from Lerner and Lowe's Camelot, I did not write it.


End file.
